North/South Implementation Bodies

Lord Laird: asked her Majesty's Government:
	Whether the domestic law governing the activities of cross-border bodies depends on whether they are located in Eire or Northern Ireland.

Baroness Amos: The North/South implementation bodies carry out their functions on an all-island basis. Which body of domestic law applies is dependent on where the activity in question takes place, rather than where a body is located.

Northern Ireland: Sports Council

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	In view of their policy of improving public health through "Investing in Health", why has the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure proposed to cut the Northern Ireland Sports Council budgets for the next three years.

Baroness Amos: The draft priorities and budget 2005–08 was available for consultation and comment from October 2004 until 7 December. Final decisions have not yet been taken. It is planned that the final budget will be published in late December.

Northern Ireland: Pre-school Children

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How, with reference to the Northern Ireland Office consultative document, making it r wrld 2—Consultation on a Draft Strategy for Children and Young People in Northern Ireland, published by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, consultations were carried out with children "As young as three years old".

Baroness Amos: Officials in the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister engaged the NIPPA—the early years organisation—to organise a tailored consultation event for pre-school children on 27th November 2002 as part of the research of issues to be included in the draft strategy. Activities were designed to draw out information on specific issues that affect this group. The output produced by the children was interpreted by early years professionals in NIPPA and included as a consultation response. A figure depicting some of the issues that they raised is illustrated on page 19 of the draft strategy, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Northern Ireland: Departmental Budgets

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the Written Answer by the Lord President on 1st December (WA 5) concerning underspending by the Northern Ireland Departments for 2003–04, why the Department of Social Development underspent by £31.4 million in that period.

Baroness Amos: The figure of £31.4 million relates to the underspend position based on provisional information provided by the department. Details of underspend are set out in the following table. In some cases projects cost less than anticipated; in others expenditure has slipped to the following year.
	
		
			  Underspend (£m)   Explanation 
			 Resource £15.5 million 1 Slippage in social security welfare reform and modernisation programme and lower than expected IT costs in current year 
			  
			   2 Delays in implementation of child support reforms due to the new UK wide IT systems not working properly 
			  
			   3 Non-completion os several NIHE special purchase of evacuated dwellings (SPED) acquisitions which were expected to be completed in 2003–04 
			  
			   4 Spend on NIHE supporting people programme, which is a new scheme that commenced in April 2003,less than anticipated 
			  
			   5 Delays in uptake in the urban regeneration and community development grant aid by applicants who had anticipated incurring expenditure in financial year 
			  
			   6 Delays in commencement and uptake of grant in relation to EU community initiatives such as Interreg III and Urban II 
			  
			   7 Non-cash costs i.e. depreciation, cost of capital, less than anticipated 
			  
			 Investment £15.9 million 1 Slippage in social security welfare reform and modernisation programme and lower than expected IT costs in current year 
			  
			   2 Spend less than estimate due to slippage in the commencement and completion of schemes by housing associations. The later a scheme commences in the year means less spend incurred in current year with cost shifted to future years 
			  
			   3 Delays in uptake in Urban Regeneration and Community Development grant aid by applicants who had anticipated incurring expenditure in financial year

Northern Ireland Department of Education

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many civil servants employed by the Northern Ireland Department of Education were barred from attending interviews for promotion on the grounds of their sick leave records in the 10 years ending on 31 December 2003; and what is the proportion of men and women.

Baroness Amos: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Northern Ireland Department of Education

Lord Laird: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many civil servants employed by the Northern Ireland Department of Education were found guilty of unintentional harassment in the 10 years ending 31 December 2003.

Baroness Amos: The Department of Education has made no findings of "unintentional harassment". However, in two cases, where the complaint of harassment was substantiated, it was taken into account, in considering the disciplinary penalty, that in one case harassment occurred "without malicious intent" and in the other that harassment occurred with no "deliberate intent".

Palace of Westminster: Health Screening

Baroness Massey of Darwen: asked the Chairman of Committees:
	What health screening and support are available in the Palace of Westminster for Members of the House and staff; and what steps he is taking to ensure that Members and staff are aware of these facilities.

Lord Brabazon of Tara: The Occupational Health and Welfare Service (OHWS) provides a wide range of health protection and promotion services to Members and staff. Members, for example, may use the acute GP emergency service and are entitled to a free medical screening every three years. Staff receive basic health and safety training as part of the staff induction course when they join, and further training as appropriate to their work; permanent staff over 55 are also entitled to health checks. In addition, a nurse is available for consultation in the medical room off the Lower Waiting Hall.
	The services provided by OHWS are listed in the Members' Handbook, and the Staff Handbook. OHWS has a website on the parliamentary network, distributes leaflets outlining the services it provides, and uses e-mail to draw attention to, for example, molewatch and blood donor clinics. Personal invitations ae issued to those entitled to health screening.

Casinos

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What contact they have had with casino operators based outside the United Kingdom in relation to the Gambling Bill; and what were the main points raised in any relevant correspondence.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: As part of policy development and analysis, government Ministers and officials receive representations from, and have meetings with, a wide range of organisations and individuals, including those in the gambling industry, about all aspects of the Gambling Bill.

International Finance Facility

The Earl of Sandwich: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What conversations they have held with the United States Government about the proposed international finance facility; and what response, if any, they received regarding United States participation.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: We are engaged in ongoing discussion with the US, and other G8 partners, on the IFF. Our aim is to secure progress during our 2005 presidencies of the G7/8 and EU.

Consultancies: Government Departments

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Which companies are currently employed on a consultancy basis by each government department; what is the financial value of each contract; and what is the purpose of each contract.

Lord McIntosh of Haringey: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Universities: Chemistry Departments

Lord Watson of Richmond: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What steps they are considering to halt and reverse the decline in the numbers of chemistry departments in universities.

Lord Filkin: The Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004–2014 sets out the Government's vision for science teaching and learning at every stage, including detailed proposals to stimulate demand from students and supply of excellent teaching.
	The Secretary of State for Education and Skills has also asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to advise him on subjects of national strategic importance, including chemistry, where intervention might be appropriate to strengthen or secure them.

Schools

Lord Greaves: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Whether teachers in foundation schools are eligible to stand for election to the local education authority in which their school is situated.

Lord Filkin: Teachers in foundation schools are not eligible to stand for election to the local education authority in which their school is situated. The Education (Transition to New Framework) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 1999 provide that in this respect they are in the same position as teachers employed directly by the local education authority.

Schools

Lord Hanningfield: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the running costs for Ofsted and HM Inspectorate of Schools in the last financial year; and what, if any, savings will follow implementation of the Education Bill.

Lord Filkin: The running costs for Ofsted in 2003–04 were £208.6 million. The Education Bill makes changes to school inspections and the inspection of early years education provision. Ofsted anticipates direct savings of at least £10 million per annum in the cost of school inspections and £4.7 million per annum in the cost of early years inspections as a consequence of these changes. In addition, Ofsted expects to make substantial savings in running costs as a result of structural changes to the organisation, facilitated by the provisions in the Bill. In total, these changes will deliver reductions of 20 per cent in the overall costs of Ofsted by March 2008.

Schools

Lord Moynihan: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Further to the open letter dated 6 December to the Prime Minister by the Chair of the Central Council for Physical Recreation, on when they intend to make an announcement on the amount of time devoted to physical education in schools; and
	Whether they support the "Club2School Sports Initiative" which includes the target of two hours high quality physical education in schools and two hours sport for every child provided by sports clubs outside the school curriculum.

Lord Filkin: On Tuesday 14 December, the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills announced a further investment of £519 million from 2006–07 to 2007–08 for physical education and school sport.
	We are well on the way to delivering the school sport public service agreement target that we share with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport that 75 per cent of pupils by 2006 and 85 per cent of pupils by 2008 should receive at least two hours each week of high quality PE and school sport. However, we want to do more.
	By 2010, our ambition is for all children to be offered at least four hours of sport every week. This will comprise at least two hours of high quality PE and sport at school and, in addition, the opportunity for at least a further two to three hours beyond the school day, delivered by a range of school, community and club providers.

Aerospace Industry

Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	Following an independent report on the future of the United Kingdom aerospace industry by the Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team, have they implemented a national aerospace plan.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Aerospace Innovation and Growth Team (AeIGT) implementation of the 20-year vision for the aerospace industry began in August 2003. Sir Richard Evans leads the AeIGT executive board overseeing its implementation. Progress is being made on all five themes of the AeIGT report.
	The national aerospace technology strategy was launched in July 2004. The implementation of the plan to gain funding from government departments, regional development agencies, devolved administrations and research councils is being co-ordinated by the DTI; £15 million was secured for the aerospace industry from the first call for research and technology.

Aerospace Industry

Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What were the funds set aside for the years 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004 for research and technology in the aerospace industry.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: There was a rolling annual programme of about £20 million for research and technology demonstration in support of civil aeronautics, for collaboration projects undertaken by industry and universities, through the Aeronautics Research Programme (ARP). Actual disbursements were:
	
		
			  
			 Financial year Amount (millions) 
			 1999–2000 £19,993 
			 2000–01 £19,997 
			 2001–02 £18,666 
			 2002–03 £21,266 
			 2003–04 £19,694 
		
	
	The DTI has moved away from sectoral funding and closed the ARP to new projects in March 2004; existing projects will be funded until 2008. In April 2004 the DTI launched a new product to support a partnership approach to research and technology. The aerospace industry secured £15 million of the £50 million available from the first call.

Aerospace Industry

Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	What was the value of United Kingdom aerospace exports for the years 2000 and 2003; and what is the percentage broken down in civil and military terms.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: 2000 2003 
			 Value of exports £11.0 billion £10.9 billion 
			 Civil share 49 per cent 59 per cent 
			 Military share 51 per cent 42 per cent 
		
	
	The Society of British Aerospace Companies provided these
	figures.

Aerospace Industry

Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many people are employed (a) directly; and (b) indirectly, in the United Kingdom aerospace industry.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: In 2003, 121,979 were directly employed and around 150,000 were indirectly employed by the aerospace industry. The Society of British Aerospace Companies provided these figures.

Aerospace Industry

Lord Jones: asked Her Majesty's Government:
	How many aerospace jobs were lost in the United Kingdom in the year 2003.

Lord Sainsbury of Turville: There was a net increase of 4 per cent of aerospace jobs in the UK to 121,979. The Society of British Aerospace Companies provided these figures.